1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data collection systems and, more specifically, to a system and method for providing radio frequency identification in a host controllable module.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a wireless communication technology that utilizes radio waves for automatic identification and data capture of information for the purpose of identifying and tracking objects, people, or even animals. Signals in the radio frequency (RF) range of the electromagnetic spectrum are used to communicate data between two transceiver devices. An RFID system typically consists of the three main components: a tag, a reader, and the software/firmware for controlling the system. Tags are placed on objects or people and directly or indirectly contain information about the object or person. The reader uses RF energy to interrogate the tag and read the information it contains, or even write data to the tag.
Technologies such as RFID can play an important role in various fields by automating processes and improving safety and security. For example, the ability to more accurately track objects and instantly provide data about the object is becoming a particularly important tool in the medical field, where automated systems can help improve safety procedures and limit human errors. For example, RFID technology may be used for tracking medical devices to ensure that the right device is available to the correct patient at the correct time, servicing and administering drugs, or to track the location of high-risk devices like implants that may relocate within a patient.
Conventional systems for utilizing RFID are often rudimentary, particularly in the medical field. For example, RFID systems generally require middleware applications that provide an interface between the readers and the host device or computer. The middleware filters and structures the data read from the tags and integrates it into the host application, which stores the information from the tag or dictates the action to be taken with the information. Middleware and host data management software applications are usually provided by an RFID vendor or by third party applications developers. These systems are not, however, capable of combining the advantages of RFID into a modular package that may be easily integrated into existing medical devices or adapted for use in new systems and easily controlled by the user. Instead, they require the integration of multiple systems and the use of sophisticated processing software to accomplish any functions beyond rudimentary RFID interrogation. In essence, these systems only provide for protocol changes, and are not capable of use in connection with host devices that have limited command capabilities.